Saturday, 12 October 2013

Clawfoot Bathtub

Clawfoot Bathtub
(just felt like writing from my heart)

My son recently bought a house that was a rental property. The tenants stayed for a few months, then
decided to move out. They left a lot of belongings hidden behind the shed. Not a pretty sight for
anyone to see. In amongst the gardening supplies, wood, cement blocks and basic junk was an
old cast iron bathtub with clawed feet. Three of the feet were intact but the claw of the fourth was missing. The interior and exterior were in pretty amazing shape considering the bathtub had been
left outside. Being one not liking to see usable things thrown in the garbage, I offered to sell the tub
for my son.
I placed a few ads on two local auction sites but got no buyers. The next step was Kijiji. I had
responses from a few people but nothing serious until a few days ago. I got an email from a gentleman asking if he could come and see the tub. We arranged for tonight at 6. He arrived
on time, shook my hand and began to tell me his story. He owned a company that made mobile
airships (blimps). He had just contracted a job with a major beer company to build a blimp. He went into great detail about blimps and their design. The bathtub was to be used as a mold for the bottom
of the blimp. When his company was done with it I would probably see it back on Kijiji for sale again.
I told him I was an author and there was a story in the making. He backed his van up to the tub.
His wife and I lifted one side and he lifted the other. The lift went fairly smooth and was over in a few moments. The dollar amount we agreed on was placed in my hand and he was off on another
adventure to pick up a plastic turtle sandbox that he had seen a few miles back.
I called my son who was working the land and told him that the tub was sold. He was busy and had
to be reminded to be thankful. Funny how things like that get forgotten. Especially on this thanksgiving weekend.
You just never know who you are going to meet in a day and what fascinating things you are going
to learn. I will be checking out his website for photos. It will be exciting to see this blimp when it is finished. An old bathtub discarded behind a shed became useful again